AP faction to get representation on Waqf Board; Thodiyoor Muhammad Kunju Maulavi to resign

MALAPPURAM: The government is moving to resolve the controversy over the denial of representation to the Kanthapuram AP faction on the Waqf Board. An understanding has been reached to give the faction representation on the board. As part of the arrangement, incumbent member Thodiyoor Muhammad Kunju Maulavi will resign on Thursday. He will submit his resignation to the chairman at the board meeting in Kochi. A representative of the AP faction will be appointed to fill the vacancy. Following the development, the faction has postponed its march to the Secretariat and Collectorate scheduled for Thursday.

The consensus was reached after Minister N. Samsudheen held discussions with Kanthapuram at the direction of the Chief Minister. However, the AP faction is unhappy about having to give up the post of Hajj Committee chairman. The faction maintains that the current chairman, Hussain Saquafi Chullikkodu, is entitled to continue in the post for another year. It has also demanded an extension of his tenure.

Thodiyoor Muhammad Kunju Maulavi is being considered for the post of Hajj Committee chairman. He said his resignation was a personal decision. He said he wanted to prevent discord and clashes in society over the issue of the faction's lack of representation on the Waqf Board.

Samastha president Sayyid Muhammad Jifri Muthukkoya Thangal had also expressed the organisation's protest over the AP faction being denied representation in the reconstitution of the Waqf Board. He said the government had not consulted Samastha on the appointment of board members. He added that Samastha communicates its position whenever the government seeks its opinion.